List of prime ministers of India by previous experience

• Vice President of the Executive Council (2 September 1946 – 15 August 1947)
• Indian Independence activist
• Advocate in the Allahabad High Court

• Minister of Home Affairs (4 April 1961 – 29 August 1963)^[1]
• Minister of Railways (1951–1956)^[1]
• Indian Independence activist^[1]

• Indian Independence activist
• Minister of Information and Broadcasting (9 June 1964 – 24 January 1966)

• Deputy Prime Minister of India (13 March 1967 – 16 July 1969)^[2]
• Minister of Finance (13 March 1958 – 29 August 1963; 13 March 1967 – 16 July 1969)^[2]
• Chief Minister of Bombay State (21 April 1952 – 31 October 1956)
• Indian Independence activist^[3]

• Deputy Prime Minister of India (24 January 1979 – 28 July 1979)
• Minister of Finance (24 January 1979 – 28 July 1979)
• Minister of Home Affairs (24 March 1977 – 1 July 1978)
• Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (3 April 1967 – 25 February 1968)
• Indian Independence activist

• Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha (17 August 1981 – 21 May 1991)^[4]

• Minister of Finance (31 December 1984 – 23 January 1987)
• Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha (December 1984 – April 1987)
• Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (1983–1988)
• Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (9 June 1980 – 19 July 1982)^[5]

• Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

• Minister of Home Affairs (19 July 1984 – 31 December 1984; 12 March 1986 – 12 May 1986)
• Minister of External Affairs (14 January 1980 – 19 July 1984; 25 June 1988 – 2 December 1989)
• Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (30 September 1971 – 10 January 1973)

• Minister of External Affairs (26 March 1977 – 28 July 1979)
• Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha) (21 July 1993 – 10 May 1996) (1 June 1996 – 4 December 1997)

19 March 1998

13 October 1999

• Chief Minister of Karnataka (11 December 1994 – 31 May 1996)

• Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha (June 1996 – November 1996)
• Minister of External Affairs (5 December 1989 – 10 November 1990; 1 June 1996 – 19 March 1998)
• Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union (1976–1980)^[6]
• Minister of Information and Broadcasting (1973–1975)^[7]
• Indian Independence activist^[7]

• Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha (21 March 1998 – 21 May 2004)
• Minister of Finance (21 June 1991 – 16 May 1996)^[8]
• Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (15 January 1985 – 31 August 1987)
• Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (15 September 1982 – 15 January 1985)
• Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India (1972–1976)^[8]

• Chief Minister of Gujarat (7 October 2001 – 22 May 2014)^[9]